The British charity WellChild announced on Thursday that longstanding sponsor Prince Harry will be present to give awards at their annual London presentation early next month.
After missing the WellChild Awards in 2022 due to Queen Elizabeth II’s death, the prince will return to the UK on September 7 to recognize one of his longest-running humanitarian links, two days before the 2023 Invictus Games begin in Dusseldorf.
“For over four decades, WellChild has been transforming the lives of children and young people across the UK, providing critical care that prioritizes the physical, mental and emotional wellbeing of these individuals and their families,” the prince in a statement to Hello.
“The courage and strength embodied by these young people – and the tireless devotion of those who support them – never cease to inspire me. I’m honoured to attend this year’s awards ceremony and celebrate their incredible work.”
According to Page Six, Harry will not be joined by his wife, Meghan Markle, because she has prior responsibilities with the couple’s two children, Archie and Lilibet.This will be Harry’s fourth journey to the UK this year, following his brief presence at the crowning ceremony on May 6 and court hearings in March and June.
The late queen died at Balmoral on September 8, 2022, and the king arrived earlier this week for his summer vacation. A palace spokeswoman said earlier this month that there will be no public festivities to honor the day, and Charles plans to spend the day quietly and discreetly, but a source told The Sun that there had been no approach to Harry and Meghan about any private celebrations to commemorate the day.
Since 2007, Harry has been a patron of WellChild, an organization that helps children with disabilities and their families. Though Harry has been a regular attendee at their annual award presentation, he hasn’t been with Meghan since 2019, when Harry gave an emotional speech about his early experiences as a parent. The ceremony was canceled in 2020 owing to the coronavirus pandemic, and in 2021, Harry and Ed Sheeran attended an outdoor charity celebration in June of that year.